One of the key advertising campaigns of The Villages is that residents are able to play "free golf for life". The advertising is only partially true; the "free golf" is paid for by mandatory amenities fees assessed to all homeowners in The Villages. The "free golf" extends only to the executive golf courses and only to players walking the courses, wherein a greens fee is not assessed. Players riding golf carts on executive courses pay no greens fee but must pay a trail fee. Greens fees and trail fees are required on The Villages country club courses (though memberships are provided "free" – again, as part of the amenities fee – to residents).
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Executive Courses
All of The Villages' executive courses are 9-hole layouts. As of 2016, The Villages operates 36 executive courses.
Country Club Courses
All of The Villages' country club courses are 27-hole layouts except for Orange Blossom Gardens and Tierra Del Sol, which are 18-hole layouts. Except as noted all 9-hole layouts are par-36. The Villages operates 12 country-club courses. These courses are not part of the "Free Golf for Life" advertising; although no fees are required for membership; fees are required to play and for cart riding.
Belle Glade
The last country club (i.e., non-executive) golf course in The Villages, opened on November 26, 2014.
Bonifay
Opened in 2011 with its first two layouts (Destin and Fort Walton); a third layout (Pensacola) was later added.
Cane Garden
Opened in 2004, the course is centered around a 150-acre eagle preserve. All three of its 9-hole layouts are named for flowers (Allamanda, Hibiscus, and Jacaranda).
Evans Prairie
Opened in 2012, it was named for the lake that it surrounds and was designed by the same team that designed Bonifay. The layouts are named Egret, Killdeer, and Osprey.
Glenview
Opened in 2000 (previously named Glenview Champions), PGA professionals Tommy Aaron, Hubert Green, and John Mahaffey were consultants during design. The layouts are named Talleyho, Fox Run, and Stirrup Cup.
Hacienda Hills
Opened in 1991, PGA professional Chi Chi Rodriguez christened the course, and later remarked that two of his favorite holes are on the course (hole #1 on the Lakes Course and hole #1 on the Oaks Course). The third layout is named the Palms Course.
Havana
Opened in 2007, it is one of the newest of The Villages' country club courses. The layouts are named Kilimanjaro, Kenya, and Hemingway.
Mallory Hill
Opened in 2005. The three layouts are named Amelia, Caroline, and Virginia.
Nancy Lopez
Opened in 2002 (previously named Nancy Lopez Legacy) and designed by the club's namesake (who along with husband Ray Knight are residents of The Villages), each of the three layouts are named for one of Lopez's and Knight's three daughters (Torri Pines, Ashley Meadows, and Erinn Glenn). Lopez and Arnold Palmer christened the Torri Pines course, after which Palmer participated in the ground breaking for his course, Palmer Legends (which would be the next country club course to open).
Orange Blossom Gardens
Opened in 1985 as a 9-hole course, it is the oldest course in The Villages and was later expanded to 18 holes. The two layouts are named Citrus Hill and Citrus Grove.
Palmer Legends
Opened in 2004 and designed by the club's namesake. The three layouts are named Riley Grove, Laurel Valley, and Cherry Hill.
Tierra Del Sol
Opened in 1997, it is the other 18-hole course at The Villages. The course hosted the Samsung World Championship of Women's Golf in 1998. It is the only course on which the 9-hole layouts are not separately named.